Liriope muscari plant named ‘Love Potion No. 13’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of  Liriope muscari  characterized as to novelty by increased vigor, increased raceme length, inflorescence with increased duration, intensity, height and uniformity. The blooming period for the flower is earlier and longer than other varieties.

Botanical classification: Liriope muscari.

Cultivar designation: ‘Love Potion No. 13’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Liriope muscari Evergreen plant is a popular landscape plant grown in the southeastern United States because its dark green leaves and spikes of lavender-colored flowers require little maintenance.

It is used primarily in mass planting in front of shrubbery. ‘Evergreen giant’ has served well as a dark green grass-like groundcover for many years. However, it has been losing vigor and it is more susceptible to disease than in the past.

The new Liriope variety was discovered growing in a bed with about 20,000 ‘Evergreen giant’ plants in the commercial nursery facilities of Rode Groundcovers, Inc. located near Williston, Fla. in the summer of 1997.

Propagation of the cultivar has been done asexually by division at the same location. Noteworthy characteristics of this new cultivar are shown in its floral display that has better duration, intensity, height and uniformity than other Liriope varieties available in the United States. Several generations of the new plant have been evaluated and the distinctive characteristics of the plant have remained stable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normal horticultural conditions in Williston, Fla.

-   -   1. A floral display that has better duration, intensity, height         and uniformity than other Liriope varieties in the marketplace.     -   2. A rate of multiplication, using ordinary nursery methods,         that is twice as fast as Evergreen giant.     -   3. A leaf blade that is wider than other large Liriope         varieties.     -   4. A leaf that is pendulous and thus more revealing of the         flower raceme.     -   5. Flower racemes are longer, more uniform and stouter than         other large Liriope varieties.     -   6. Unopened flower buds are violet not white as in other large         Liriope varieties and thus have more visual impact.     -   7. Flower bundles along the length of the raceme are much closer         together and more uniform in spacing.     -   8. Blooms earlier than other large Liriope varieties (June         15^(th) to September 1^(st) peaking around July 15^(th)).     -   9. The number of flower bundles along the flower raceme is         approximately two times as many as other Liriope varieties.     -   10. The color of the individual bloom is a darker violet than         other large ‘Liriope’ and has a stronger visual impact above the         foliage.     -   11. The height at maturity is 18-24″.     -   12. Grows well in sun or shade.     -   13. Uniformity in mass plantings is excellent.     -   14. ‘Love Potion #13’ has good drought tolerance.     -   15. It has good cold tolerance and is hardy in zones 8B through         11.     -   16. Individual divisions or bibs have significantly more leaves         per fan and more leaf surface area than other large Liriope         varieties.     -   17. ‘Love Potion #13’ exhibits good resistance to common fungal         and bacterial plant pathogens.     -   18. Increased plant vigor and the amount of leaves per division         result in greatly reduced finishing times in a commercial         nursery.     -   19. Remains dark green throughout the winter and does not         exhibit “leaf scorch” after frosting.     -   20. Each division blooms.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The new Liriope muscari variety is illustrated by the accompanying photographic prints in which:

FIG. 1 is a photograph of the new variety ‘Love Potion #13’ showing long flower racemes which are uniform and stouter than other Liriope plants and the dark green color of the grass-like foliage.

FIG. 2 is a side-by-side photograph of the cultivar of the present invention shown on the left side, Evergreen giant in the middle, and the variety ‘Merton Jacobs’, the subject of U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,068 on the right. The photograph shows the large number of flowers on the flower racemes of the new cultivar that approximate by twice the normal flowers of the other two varieties.

FIG. 3 shows a side-by-side photograph of the new cultivar, Evergreen giant and the variety ‘Merton Jacobs’. All plant material has been divided and ready for planting.

FIG. 4 shows a close-up photograph of the flowers of the new cultivar. The color shown is a true as is reasonably possible to obtain by conventional photographic procedures. The colors of the various plant parts are defined by reference to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart. Descriptions of colors in ordinary terms represented where appropriate for clarity in meaning.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of the new variety of Liriope based on observations made of plants grown in commercial nursery production practices at Rode Groundcovers, Inc. in Williston, Fla. The parentage is unknown to inventor. The average age of the plants observed was about 12 months.

DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS ‘Love ‘Evergreen Characteristic Potion #13’ Giant’ ‘Merton Jacobs’ Height (Mature) 18-24″ 24-30″ 24-30″ Width (Mature) 24-30″ 24-30″ 24-30″ Bloom Period June- September- August- September October September Raceme Length 17-21″  6-10″ 14-18″ Leaf Length 18″ 21″ 18″ Leaf Width ½″ {fraction (5/16)}″ ¼″ Leaf Color 137A 137B 143A (Mature) Classification: [Botanic] Liriope muscari ‘Love Potion #13’. Form—Dense, grass-like clump.

The plant normally grows at a rate of about 12″ or more per year and reaches a height of about 18-24″ and spread of 24-30″ at maturity.

-   Foliage: A dense habit is formed from leaves arising from a central     crown. The form of the leaf is simple, linear with an acute apex and     cunate base with an entire margin. The texture of the leaf's surface     is smooth, glossy and leathery. The grass-like, mature dark green     leaves have a green color 137A on the upper side of the leaf which     is glossy and glabrous. The underside is green 137B. The veins are     green 137A and the area between the veins is 137C. The average     number of leaves per stem is 23. The average length is 18 inches     with a width of ½ inch. The plant is acaulescent and the leaves are     basically equitant. -   Inflorescence: The small profuse flowers grow in clusters of 6 and     reducing to 2 at the apex. Typically, the diameter of the flower is     10 millimeters, while the depth is 3.5 millimeters. When first     opening, the shape of the flower is a cup, later closing. The     flowers form on a raceme scape which has an average length of about     24″ with an average of 69 pedicels on each scape. The pedicels have     a violet color of 80D. The bloom period is early and long, in     Florida, starting in June and ending in September. The violet color     of the open flower is 88A. The other edge of the flower petal has a     violet color of 88D, wherein the petal itself has a purple-violet     color 80D. There are 3 petals per flower and 3 petaloids. The petals     have an entire margin and are polypetalous. -   Flower buds: The small flower buds have a diameter of 3 millimeters     and are of an ovoid form. The sepals are hooded over the bud and     stand erect. There are six sepals having a color or 88C and a smooth     texture. They are spear shaped. The unopened flower bud has a violet     color of 88D. The bud has a smooth texture and no pubescence. The     shape of the calyx is ovoid with a smooth aspect. The peduncle has a     length of 4 to 7 millimeters, and is rigid. The peduncle typically     has a diameter of about 1 millimeter, a smooth texture and a color     of 76D. The flower buds on pedicles decrease in number from the base     of the raceme to the apex, 6 to 2. -   Reproductive Organs: The reproductive organs are bisexual, complete     and perfect. There are six stamens, basifixed anthers in a     connective arrangement. The length of the stamen is 1.5 millimeters     and the width is 0.5 millimeters. The color is 6A. The filaments are     3 millimeters in length and the same color as the flower. The plant     has on pistil which is 4 millimeters in length with color of 69B.     The ovaries have a color of 69D. The ovaries are superior with 3     locules, 2 ovums per locule. -   Fruit: The fruit resembles a berry, is globose {fraction (3/16)}″ to     {fraction (5/16)}″ in diameter containing one or two seeds, ⅛″-¼″ in     diameter, having a color of 196A. The mature fruit has a green color     139A. The fruit rarely appears with an average of about 1 fruit per     200 plants. -   Disease and pest resistance: The plant is insect and disease free     with no chemical sprays at Williston, Fla. As observed [at Rode     Groundcovers, Inc.] the cultivar has better resistance to     Phytopthora spp Fusarium oxysporum and Rhizoctonia solani than other     known Liriope varieties.

The plant has no above ground stems. It grows by adding small clumps of leaves on short rhizomes on the side of an existing clump. As the plant grows, the clump becomes larger. The plants are propagated by separating the clump. The plant material has differences with known Liriope varieties. The following tables show comparative information with the new variety and Evergreen giant and Merton Jacobs.

Comparison measurement of leaf blade length (measured ½″ above soil line) ‘Evergreen ‘Love Potion Giant’ #13’ ‘Merton Jacobs’ 21.06 inches [Average] 17.8 inches [Average] 18.2 inches

Thirty specimens of each variety were used in this study. For each variety, the measurements were combined and averaged. The leaf blade length of this cultivar is slightly shorter than the Merton Jacobs, described in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,068 and is significantly shorter than the Evergreen giant.

Comparison measurement of leaf blade width (measured at mid length of blade) width given in 16^(th) inch ‘Evergreen ‘Love Potion Giant’ #13’ ‘Merton Jacobs’ {fraction (5/16)} inches [Rounded] ½ inches [Rounded] ¼ inches

Thirty plants of each variety were measured with the leaf blade width of the new cultivar on average being twice as wide as the Merton Jacobs variety and slightly wider than the parent stock, Evergreen giant.

Foliage Color Comparison ‘Love potion ‘Merton Jacobs’ ‘Evergreen Giant’ #13’ pp#12068 RHC#/color RHC#/color RHC#/ Plant Part group group color group Upper side of leaf 137B/green 137A/green 143A/green Under side of leaf 143A/green 137B/green 137C/green Leaf veins 143B/green 137A/green 137A/green Leaf area between 143C/green 137C/green 137D/green veins

Flower Color Comparison ‘Love ‘Merton Jacobs’ ‘Evergreen Giant’ Potion #13’ pp#12068 RHC#/color RHC#/color RHC#/ Plant Part group group color group Unopened 85B/violet 88D/violet 85B/violet flower bud Open flower 82B/purple violet 88A/violet 85B/violet Outer edge of 82C/purple violet 88D/violet 82D/purple violet flower petal Flower petal 80D/purple violet 80D/purple violet 85D/violet Immature 160C/grey yellow 86B/violet 155C/white flower buds Pollen 6A/yellow 5A/yellow 3B/yellow Raceme base 79B/purple violet 181C/grey red 76D/purple Raceme apex 77A/purple 62C/red purple 76a/purple Pedicel 85C/violet 80D/violet 85D/violet The above Foliage and Flower Color Comparisons were observed on an August afternoon in Williston, Fla.

Comparison of length of flower Raceme in inches (measured ½″ above the soil line) ‘Evergreen ‘Love Potion Giant’ #13’ ‘Merton Jacobs’ 11.6 inches Average 16.3 inches Average 14 inches

Ten plants of each variety were measured. ‘Love Potion #13’s flower raceme is approximately 30% longer than its parent stock, Evergreen giant, and 24% longer than Merton Jacobs U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,068.

Comparison of number of flower bundles per raceme ‘Evergreen ‘Love Potion Giant’ #13’ ‘Merton Jacobs’ 23.1 Average 55.9 Average 28.9

Ten plants of each variety were measured. ‘Love Potion #13’ has approximately twice the number of flower bundles as Evergreen giant or Merton Jacobs U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,068. This strong distinction in floral display allows ‘Love Potion #13’ to provide much stronger bloom impact than other Liriope varieties on the market. ‘Love Potion #13’ has significantly more flowers, which open simultaneously. This increased quantity of flower bundles and individual flowers also allows for a longer duration of raceme color.

Average number of leaves per division ‘Evergreen ‘Love potion Giant’ #13’ ‘Merton Jacobs’ 12 [Rounded] 23 [Rounded] 16

Ten plants of each variety were measured, ‘Love Potion #13’ has approximately two times as many leaves per division as Evergreen giant and 70% more than Merton Jacobs U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,068.

Comparison of fresh weight of 30 leaves ‘Evergreen ‘Love Potion Giant’ #13’ ‘Merton Jacobs’ 74 grams 59 grams 36 grams

A wider leaf surface and a thinner leaf thickness make the new cultivar's fresh weight 63% heavier than Merton Jacobs and 25% lighter than Evergreen giant.

Comparison of fresh weight of 10 flower Racemes ‘Evergreen ‘Love Potion Giant’ #13’ ‘Merton Jacobs’ 27 grams 39 grams 30 grams

The density and quantity of the flower bundles when the flower racemes make the present cultivar 31% heavier than its parent stock, Evergreen giant and 25% heavier than the Merton Jacobs. 

1. A new and distinct variety of Liriope plant named ‘Love Potion No. 13’ as illustrated and described. 